The Scleroderma Foundation Southern California Chapter Calendar Sclero Sun Winter 2009 February-March Standard Meeting Locations Antelope Valley Spanish Speakers Club Key to a Cure Gala 2008 2009 Calendar Panera Bread Se Habla Español With all the glitter and fanfare of a Hollywood movie See Locations list for all address 39403 10th Street West Chapter Offi ce opening night, the luminaries of the Southern and contact information Palmdale 93551 11704 Wilshire Blvd. Ste 250 California Chapter of the Scleroderma Foundation Contact Carole (661) 273-6952 Los Angeles 90025 and their very special guests came together to enjoy Visalia Contact Josephine the 12th Annual Key to a Cure Gala at the Manhattan Beach Marriott Resort. presents the No meetings scheduled Crescenta Valley Ofi cina Esclerodermia (877) 443-5755 12th Annual Scleroderma Foundation until further notice Contact Joan (626) 824-0921 The Chapter and the well known Southland resort, [email protected] Ventura County recent cohosts to the Scleroderma Foundation’s National Convention in July of this year, once again February 08 (Sunday) Camarillo Health Care District to a San Fernando Valley Orange County 3639 East Las Posas Rd. Ste 117 proved themselves up to the task of providing all Ke y in attendance with a memorable evening of music, 11 AM to 1:00 p.m. Fountain Valley Hospital Camarillo 93010 Saltzer Conference Room Contact Arline (805) 987-8236 dining, dancing, the auctioning of very special C u r e items, and most important, close camaraderie in 11170 Warner Ave. [email protected] GalaNovember 1, 2008 February 14 the service of our organization’s important fund Riverside County Fountain Valley 92708 raising goals. 10 AM to Noon Contact Bonnie D. (714) 839-7034 Visalia [email protected] Contact Lety (559) 734-1011 Highlighting the evening of entertainment was the *New Location amazing Wayne Foster Group . With this fi ne group of dancers and musicians creating a happy mood, February 28 Riverside County Westside the crowd proceeded to have the very best of times long into the night. New Facility for Dr. Al Franco, Chapter Offi ce Orange County The conversation soon reached a crescendo, with much of it directed to assessing the results Rheumatologist 11704 Wilshire Blvd. Ste 250 11 A.M. to 1:00 P.M. of another very successful year of Foundation activities, greeting friends from far and wide, and 11725 Slate Ave. Los Angeles 90025 buzzing over the many notable items to be auctioned, among them trips to exotic locales, sports March 07 Arthritis Center of Riverside Contact Josephine (310) 477-8225 memorabilia, and numerous novelties of interest. Riverside, CA 92505 (877) 443-5755 Ventura County Co-hosted this year by comedienne Kathy Buckley and Jesus Rangel, a very dedicated, long time 10 AM to Noon Phone (951) 352-1700 [email protected] supporter of the Scleroderma Foundation and it’s work, introductions were made of the evenings Contact Francene (951) 735-2724 honorees. Included were the recipients of this year’s Spirit of Hope Award, National Board member March 08 (Sunday) [email protected] Whittier/ San Gabriel Valley Kerry Hall, the Inspirational Spirit Award, Christina Burgher of UCLA, and the Janie S. Benner San Fernando Valley Whittier Presbyterian Memorial Spirit Award, given this year to Assemblywoman Sharon Runner of the 36th District of 11 AM to 1:00 P.M. San Fernando Valley Intercommunity Hospital California. Sherman Oaks Hospital 12401 E. Washington Blvd. Thanks to the sponsorship of Prosperitas, a peer based community for high net worth individuals, March 12 (Thursday) Doctors Conference Room Whittier 90602 the ongoing commitments of Anheuser Busch, Motorola and the Benner Family, as well as the hard Antelope Valley 4929 Van Nuys Blvd. Contact Norma (626) 369-2096 work and dedication of the Southern California Chapter and it‘s members, the evening once again 6:30 P.M. Sherman Oaks 91403 [email protected] proved to be a remarkable success, leaving all in attendance well fed and entertained, looking Contact Kelly (818) 974-2428 Myrna (562) 699-5080 forward to the coming new year with a renewed sense of purpose. March 14 [email protected] South Bay 10 A.M. to Noon South Bay Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Offi ce Crescenta Valley 1812 Artesia Blvd. Call Joan Redondo Beach 90278 directions at Whittier/San Gabriel Valley http://omsurgery.com/offi ce1.html Call Norma Contact Valerie (310) 390-1717 (home) (310) 318-6970 (weekdays except weds.) [email protected] Scleroderma Foundation Tel: 310.477.8225 Southern California Chapter Fax: 310.477.8774 11704 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 250 www.sclerodermasocal.org Los Angeles, CA 90025 [email protected] Summer 2008 The ScleroSun The ScleroSun Summer 2008 Cocoa Autoimmune Diseases Act From the Editor… Lowers Representative Patrick Kennedy (RI) introduced H.R. 7078, known as the Prevention, Awareness, and Hi Everybody! Research of Autoimmune Diseases Act of 2008, to Congress on September 25, 2008. Each year at this time the Sclero Sun puts Blood This bill would increase public awareness of and research on autoimmune diseases in order to help out our Winter edition which includes a Once again the Southern California Chapter of the Scleroderma Foundation was patients get diagnosed more quickly and receive proper treatment as soon as possible, as well as to little pitch for making a timely year end, looking for a full house in hosting the 2nd Annual All In For Scleroderma Texas Hold Pressure improve the quality of life for those already suffering from autoimmune diseases. fully tax deductible, donation before ‘Em Tournament and that’s just what happened. December 31 to further the aims and Happy justifi cation “This legislation is so important to persons with autoimmune diseases. Although these diseases have Sclero-Sun Editor Bob Rich Staged this year in Santa Monica, the much anticipated event, sponsored by the for chocolate a major impact on our society they are often left behind in both research funding and awareness,” said goals of our Southern California Chapter accounting fi rm of Guillen, Suede and Company and GSC Financial Investing, inspired loving patients with Virginia Ladd, who is president of American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association (AARDA). “We of the Scleroderma Foundation. card players of all skill levels to come out for a great evening of holding ‘em or folding Scleroderma! do not know what causes them nor do we know what role the environment plays in triggering them. This year is no different, except for the exciting news that, if you use the ‘em in support of the Chapter and Foundation, It turns out that blood We thank Representative Patrick Kennedy for introducing this important bill and hope it has full support accounting fi rm of H&R Block, they will donate $25 to the Scleroderma Enjoying drinks, hors d’oeuvres, cash prizes and raffl e items while raising money to pressure (BP) responds favorably of Congress.” Foundation for doing your taxes, a real boon for our cause. fi nd a cure for Scleroderma, the crowd was soon hard at work attempting to draw to cocoa, a new study suggests. Authors of the study say H.R. 7078 targets minority communities that may be underserved or disproportionately affected Using H&R Block’s altruism as an example, I’d like to make a personal great hands or bluff their way through the night, hoping to advance to the fi nal table that “products rich in cocoa may be considered part of a and especially targets women who are affected three times as often as men. It calls for research on appeal to everyone who reads this to take advantage of the Scleroderma and a chance at total victory. With cries of victory or groans of resignation and defeat, blood pressure lowering diet.” environmental triggers of autoimmune diseases, such as heavy metals, phthalates, and pharmaceuticals, Foundation’s Non-Profi t status and reduce your income taxes a little bit the action progressed long into the night. Lead investigator for the study, Dirk Taubert, MD, PhD, some of which are known to “trigger” the initiation of autoimmune disease in genetically predisposed more while doing something important that benefi ts all of the amazing, After many exhilarating hours of bidding for valuable items and betting on the cards says “I believe that cocoa is healthier than other sugar individuals. courageous people affl icted with and struggling against the diseases and was done and the last hand was dealt, the big winner of the evening turned out to confectionary or high-fat dairy products.” The bill also calls for grants for education of health care providers on potential links between autoimmune discomforts of Scleroderma. be the Chapter, after a very successful night of food and fun chipped in more than $12,000 for Scleroderma research, education and support. In the cocoa studies, consisting of consumption of diseases and cognitive and mood disorders, such as depression. A loan repayment program to qualifi ed While together we have done a typically fl avonol-rich chocolate in the range of 100 g physicians who agree to conduct three years of autoimmune disease research is also part of the bill. great job raising much needed per day, systolic BP (SBP) and diastolic BP (DBP) dropped According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), 23.5 million Americans suffer from autoimmune money throughout the year with the signifi cantly in the active group as compared with control diseases and the prevalence of these diseases is rising. Collectively, autoimmune disease is one of the Stepping Out For A Cure Walk-a-thon, groups. top 10 leading causes of death in women under age 65 and represents at least $100 billion in annual the Key To A Cure Gala, and our All- Murphy’s Lesser direct health care costs.